Well… What a year the last week has been!!
Things have certainly changed a lot in a short space of time but as Charles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives. It is the most adaptable to change.” So it is, we must adapt and evolve.
For many of us the swift change of going to work on a daily basis, going to the gym, going out to see family and friends, spending hours in cafes looks a great deal different to the lifestyle we are living now.
If like me, you are now working from home full time and have your gym set up at home in your living room. The commute from bedroom to the office may not offer the same chance to take 5 listen to a podcast, reset and prepare yourself for the day ahead.
To avoid the feeling of feeling like you never have a chance to take a break, it is important to not only establish a routine but also set up different spaces/practices for each aspect of your day.
If you have enough room, aim to do all of your 9-5 work in an office set up, gym work in the garage & relaxation in the rest of your home. This will allow you to assign a frame of mind to each room/ area of your house ie: Office = get shit done, Gym = kick some butt, Rest of the house = chill out
However, if you are a little short on space and need to improvise a little more there are some more subtle strategies you can implement to keep your day as routine as smooth as possible.
If like many of our members who live close to the city you are in a small apartment/townhouse you may find that your whole life currently feels like you are living in one room. It is a great idea to still segment your day as you usually would.
Ie:
- Wake up
- Make a coffee
- Put on your favourite activewear.
- Workout
- Post about it on Instagram 😉
- Have breakfast
- Get yourself ready for work (s***, shower, shave, straighten your hair)
- Put on your power suit (uniform)
- Even if you are working at the dining table have a designated space/seat you only sit in to work from. You can even reposition the table to a different space for your workday.
- Have a lunch break!!!
- Have a set knock off time.
- Change into your onesie at the end of the day
- Chill out!
- Call at least 1 x friend + 1 x relative to check-in.
I have added the ‘costume changes’ in bold as these can also help to give you a powerful mental shift. Think of the changes as switching to your alter ego, allowing you to get into a different frame of mind with different goals & outcomes based on your ‘uniform’. This can help segment the day a give you a feeling of change throughout the day.
Another way you can segment the day is to set up a ritual before each segment. Foam roll/stretch for 10 mins before you train, shower before you start work, meditate at the end of the workday. These routines can be anything you like to switch your state of mind and focus on the task at hand. But stick to the same practices every time.
Music can also be a great way to subtlety alter your state, you can obviously pick your own preferences but, train to some Metallica, have Backstreet Boys on for the office and Michael Bublé to relax to in the evening.
In saying all this I completely understand that these may be difficult times for many who have lost their job due to all of these changes, but it is still important to maintain some sort of routine. Use the 9-5 time to apply for jobs, research, read, study online, upskill, plan the business you have always wanted to start. Better prepare yourself for when we come out on the other side of this.
I hope this helps you to get on the front foot and remain calm, focused and productive. Let me know if you have anything to add to the list.